Paper Number
ECIS2026-1275
Paper Type
SP
Abstract
A lack of diversity in the information technology (IT) workforce can perpetuate social harms through assumptions and biases embedded in digital systems. While diversity initiatives often emphasise representation in recruitment, less attention has been given to how workplace norms shape who feels recognised and who is marginalised. This study examines how heteronormativity, understood as institutional practices that privilege cisgender and heterosexual identities, reproduces binary gender expectations within IT work environments. Grounded in identity theory, social identity theory and queer theory, we present early findings from a qualitative case study of LGBTQ+ professionals at a multinational IT corporation. Our analysis reveals that heteronormative assumptions remain deeply embedded in IT environments, privileging a narrow masculinity-aligned ideal of the technical subject. By surfacing how gendered expectations are navigated, resisted, and reinforced in IT workplaces and digital infrastructures, this study advances flexible, context-aware identity models and ethically responsible IS practice.
Recommended Citation
Sperling, Hannah; Carter, Michelle; and Cooper, Vanessa, "Re-Imagining Gender Beyond The Binary In Information Technology Work" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/conf_theme/conf_theme/3
Re-Imagining Gender Beyond The Binary In Information Technology Work
A lack of diversity in the information technology (IT) workforce can perpetuate social harms through assumptions and biases embedded in digital systems. While diversity initiatives often emphasise representation in recruitment, less attention has been given to how workplace norms shape who feels recognised and who is marginalised. This study examines how heteronormativity, understood as institutional practices that privilege cisgender and heterosexual identities, reproduces binary gender expectations within IT work environments. Grounded in identity theory, social identity theory and queer theory, we present early findings from a qualitative case study of LGBTQ+ professionals at a multinational IT corporation. Our analysis reveals that heteronormative assumptions remain deeply embedded in IT environments, privileging a narrow masculinity-aligned ideal of the technical subject. By surfacing how gendered expectations are navigated, resisted, and reinforced in IT workplaces and digital infrastructures, this study advances flexible, context-aware identity models and ethically responsible IS practice.
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